Propeller



Feb. 7, 1939. R. B. MANNINGI PROELLER l 2 sheets-smeer 1 Filed May 28, 1937 N NH @H @H NN .Ngmww .www

uw NN Feb. 7, 1939,

` R. B. MANNING PROPELLER 2 Sheets-She'et 2 f Filedv May 28, 1957 .,.llll III Patented Fab. 7,- 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Gianna.

'Ihis invention relates to propeller An object of theinvention is the provision of a device for varying the diameter of a propellerj in which the blades of the propellerl are moved inwardly or outwardly of the hub to secure a greater eillciency between the motors andV propellers of aircraft operating at high altitude since there is a difference of efllciency of an airplane propeller betweenhigh and low altitudes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for increasing or decreasing within prescribed limits the diameter of a propeller of the well known screw type, the mechanism being controlled at will by the operator forl accommodating the propeller for varying conditions to obtain the greatest efficiency.

A further object of the invention is the provision l of a propeller having' blades slidably mounted in the hub thereof with means for moving the blades radially inwardly or outwardly of the hub for decreasing or increasing the diameter of the propeller with means for maintaining the blades in a predetermined position and with motors incorporated in the hub at either side of the propeller shaft for aiding in properly counterbalancing the propeller.

'I'his invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the' invention is not conned to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as dene no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the propeller, c

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 2,--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side view of the propeller, and Figure 4 is a plan view of the propeller partly in section. a i Referring more particularly to the drawings I0 designates a housing of the hub section of the propeller. This housing if desired may be in sections and joined together at their ends by means of bands Il.

A blade I2 has a Ahollow portion I3 slidably mounted in one end of the housing I0. A second blade I4 has a hollow portion I5 slidably mounted in the other end of thehousing I8. A propeller shaft I6 extends through the hub of the propeller as shown in Figs. 2, 3.and- 4 and isoonnected to the hub vin amanner 'whichwill be presently explained. V Y

A screw I'I is provided with left hand threads at I8 and has a threaded connection with a `nut (Cl. 17o-163) [n I8 which is secured at 20.in a socket 2| in the shank portionof the blade I2.

A screw 22 has right hand threads, as shown at 23, engaging the threads of a nut 24 mounted in the shank of the blade I4 and secured theretov as shown at 25. It will be seen from thisl construction that since the nuts I9 and 24 are secured'within the shanks of the respectiveblades I2 and I4, rotation of the screwsA Il and 22 will cause the shanks and likewise the blades to be moved outwardly or inwardly of the housing I0,

depending upon the screws. y

A member 3i!` is located transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shaft I6 and has connections 3i and 32 with the screws Il and 22, so that said screws will be simultaneously rotated in the same direction. 'I'he inner endsv of the said screws project into a diametrical passage in the shaft I6 and the member 30 is located within said'passage andbetween the inner ends of said screws.

An electric motor 33 is connected with the screw I1 so that when the motor is operating the screw will be revolved. vA motorvr 34y is connected to the screw 22 and is adapted to revolve the direction of rotation of the screw or shaft 22 in the same direction that the screw or shaft I1 is revolved by the motor 33. The motors 33 and 34 are of the reversible type so that the shafts or screws II and 22 may be `rotated in either direction.

A combined radial and two-way thrust bear-A a ing is shown at 35 oril either sidel of the shaft I8 and these bearings are mounted in sections of a housing 33. These sections of the'housing are extended to form end plates 31 for the motors 33 and 34. lA ring 38 s'et in an annular groove in the inner wall of the sections of the housing 36 maintains the bearings 35 in position at one sidek while an annular flange 39 at the inner end of each motor cooperates with the ring 38 formaintaining the bearings in position.

'Ihe inner end of each shank portion of the blades is provided with a flange as shown 'at 48 -with theinner end of the flange being adapted to engage ari extension l 4I on the centerof the housing I0 to limit the inward movement of each blade. This flange is also provided with a shoulder-42 which is adapted to engage a shoulder 43 from the housing I0 for movement of the. blades. V

It willbe noted that the hollow shank portionsl I3 and `I3 of the blades form housings for-the motors 33 and 34. 1

As f previously stated, the housing 33 is formed of two sections;and Vthese sections are joined limiting the outward together at the. central portion of the hub by' .means of bfingers and 46; A plurality of 1111- gers 43 project from one section of the housing 38 while alternately disposed fingers project from A rings during rotation of the propeller.

Q!! llih are formed on fingers are interitted they are connected together by means of bolts 4l which have their inner ends threaded into the wall of the housing I0 as shown at 48.

The motors are supplied with current from a source within the airplane by means of wires and 5I, brushes 52 and wires 54. A brush 53 is adapted to engage a Aring contact member 55 which is mounted upon the outer fiat face 56 of the hub section or housing l0. This ring is insulated from the hub section but is connected with the wire 5|. The rolling contact or brush 51 is adapted to engage a ring contact member 58 `which is located concentrically with respect to the ring 55. The last-mentioned contact is also insulated from the housing but is connected with the wire 50 which leads through either motor 33 or 34. The'wire 5l also leads tothe motors 33 and 3l.

The contact member or brush 53 is carried by a lever 50 which is rocked by a rod 5I mounted in bearings 52 carriedby a iixed part (not shown) external of the housing I0. The brush or contact 51 is operated by a lever'53 which is mounted in a bearing 64 carried by a ilxed part, preferably a bearingv for the shaft i3.

Since the motors 33 and 34 may be revolved in either direction, one of the contact members 53 when moved into engagement with the ring,

contact 55 by the operation ofY the rod 6I will cause direct rotation of both motors. When the brush 51 is moved into engagement with the ring 58 it will cause an opposite direction of rotation of both motors since the current from the source in the last instance is supplied throughJ the field coils of the motor causing reversing of rotation ofsaid motor.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the shaft I6 is provided with keys 55 adapted 4to be received within keyways or grooves 66 in the hub section of the propeller for securing the shaft i6 to said hub. I

The operation of my device is as follows: It' will be seen by this construction that the blades of the propeller maybe moved inwardly or outwardly toward or away from the shaft .I6 by the proper direction of rotation of the motors 33 and l their inward motion is restricted by the flange 40 engagingv the extension 4i= in-the hub section'ill of the propeller.

Since the inner ends of the shafts or screws Ill and 22 having a ilexible connection with each other by the medium of the member 30 located transversely of the shaft l5 said screws or shafts must be always revolved simultaneously and in the same direction. i A

When it is desired to move the blades inwardly or outwardly of the hub section it is only necessary for the operator to move the proper'brush- 52 or 53 into engage'nuantv with its respective ring for energizing the motors and 4cause said motors to rotate in acertain direction. The brushes 52 and 53 will be normally voutof contact with' the The housing I3 is provided with grooves 55 theinner wall of the houslthe other section of the housing and when these ing I0 and pins or lugs 65 carried by the shank portions of the blades I2 and Il ride in 'these grooves in order to maintain the proper pitch of the blades. Otherwise when-the members I1 and 22 are revolved the blades themselves would be revolved. However, the grooves may be of spiral type so that when the blades are moved volved in the hubs to maintain the same pitch or to vary the pitch with the variations of the propeller diameter when desired.

I claim: f

1. A propeller comprising a hub, blades slidably mounted in the hub, a screw having at one Vend a left-hand threaded engagement with one blade and a right-hand threaded engagement with the other blade so that rotation of the screw will cause inner or .outer radial movement of the outwardlyor inwardly, said blades may be re-v blades, means for revolvingY the screw inl either y direction, a radial and two-way thrust bearing supporting the intermediate portion of the screw, a casing for the bearing formed of sections, the adjacent edges of the sectionihavlng complementarily formed intertting fingers and bolts passing through the nger and threaded into the hub for securing the sections together and for securing thecasing to the hub.

2. A propeller comprising a hub. blades slidable in the hub, means for moving the blades radially outwardly or inwardly of the hub and including a right-hand screw threaded into one blade,va lefthand screw threaded into the other'blade, said' 3. A propeller comprising a hub, bladesslidable in the hub, means for moving ithe blades radially outwardly or inwardly of the lhub and including a right-hand screw threadedfinto one blade, a left-hand screw threaded into the other blade, means connecting the inner endsof the screws together, a thrust bearing for each of the inner ends of the screws, a casing fixed against rotation in the hub and housing the bearings, a motor `associated with each screw 'for revolving the screws simultaneously, a pair of rings connected with each motor, a contact member associated with each ring'and adapted to be moved away from the ring during normal rotation of the propeller, one of said contact members when moved into engagement with one of the rings causing p rotation of the .motors in one direction, the engagement of the `other contact with its associated 'ring causingrotation ofi the motors in the opposite direction.

4. A propeller comprising a hub; blades slidable in the hub, means i'or moving the blades radially.

' outwardly or inwardly of the hub and including a right-hand screw threaded into one blade, a lefthand screw threaded into the other blade, means connecting the inner ends of the screws together,

a thrust bearing foreach of the inner ends of the/v screws, a sectional casing ilxed against rotation in the hub and housing. the bearings, a mot r mountedon the vinner end of each screw for ev'volving the screws simultaneously, contactssecured to the hub, and contacts adapted, to be moved into and out of engagement with the contacts on the hub for closing circuits to the motors.

RAY B. MANNING. 

